


Audebo

by TramGirl



Series: March (Mini-Fic) Madness [2]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Character Death, Contests, Everyone is Dead, F/M, Gen, Lord Of The Rings AU, Rings of Power, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 22:37:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10054655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TramGirl/pseuds/TramGirl
Summary: AU- Galadriel takes the ring after all. What happens next, may surprise you not at all if you know who her brother was... Sometimes the point of what you have, is to let go of everything for the right reason. March (Mini-fic) Madness #2, again from MK!





	

Slowly, she moves to take the ring. She watches herself move, willing the movement and yet still half amazed by it. It rests in the palm of her hand now, a small circle of plain gold for just a moment. And then, Nenya flares, sending blinding white light forth- blinding even for a bare moment to one who remembered the Trees.

It is as though everything ceases, suspended as it was. Time itself stands still, there is no movement of air or thought of how things should continue. All that is, is reduced to three things- the light that is Nenya, her own strength, and, coiled like a wolf asleep, that other, malignant power. It uncoils itself now, aware of her.

_**Foolish child,**_ it reproaches her. _**So greedy to take what is not yours. Even more foolish than your brothers…**_

It tries to stagger her, reminding her of their deaths but she is unmoved. The ring of Adamant has been her constant companion for years now. Where once a horrific assault of images might have unbalanced her, now she is steady, steadfast in purpose. And she alone of her family spilt no blood at the Swanhaven. She turns the inaudible song, shifting the images, showing the power its own defeat at the hands of Luthien, all those years ago.

The power collects itself, checks its own rage, returns to the familiar strain, the one that snapped so many minds in the past…. _**If you feel no guilt, why do you not return? What holds you here, little Exile?**_

Him. Celeborn would not be left out, he knew what he had to do, they’d had this conversation before, he would not let her become a puppet of fell things… And even now, even as she focuses on this internal battle, even now he holds a dagger to her throat. “Who are you?” he demands to know, voice sounding strangely flat and distant.

She knows she has to make an answer. “Alatariel. Your wife.” Her own voice sounds strange to her ears, distorted and over great distance. 

The dagger is gone, in its place are his arms around her body, her body which still stands inside of time. Under any other circumstances, his presence would be more than welcome, his gentle strength reassuring, but now she must focus as the power looks for another vector of attack. It is pleased to find Celeborn in proximity to it.

_**Is he why, little Exile? He will not go to Aman with you? How unequal you are…how wrong you are…** _

There is a flare of power from Nenya again as for a brief moment, her emotions get the better of her and she laughs. This too, is something her younger self would not handle well. Inspiration strikes her. A problem shared is a problem halved. Her enemy’s taunts have only served to remind her… “Lend me your strength,” she says to her husband, her other self, voice still too far away.

This close, it’s as easy as breathing. She is an Exile, but he is not. Together, for more than a mortal span of years, they have learned and loved and carefully shaped this land. The attachment to the land has always been more his than hers, it is his land, her wisdom and their people. And now it is time to hazard all. To let their combined power pour through her like a flood of water through an opened sluice, shaped, beautiful and deathly destructive. 

_To take, in order to cause to cease. This we choose to do. And if it is our death, then we choose to die._ Not she alone, not he alone, but the realm- every elf in Lothlorien, every bird in nest and every root and branch of tree, every blade of grass. All striving to bind back the malignant power forever. _You are houseless. Go. Await your judgement!_

A mighty wind picks up- bending leaf and branch of Lothlorien- but it is not the enemy’s doing. Unlooked for, and from afar, Elrond lends his aid. And if the power of the rings which Fëanor’s grandson had crafted had never been thought to be able to withstand the One, perhaps it was because at no prior time had their wielders been so intent upon destroying the evil that they were willing to hazard their own lives and dear-bought realms to do so.

The perfect golden ring shatters. Nenya does not, but shines no more. And with the last of his strength, Celeborn guides them both to the ground, to lie side by side, his arms still around her. Her eyes are shut forever on this side of the sea. There is an acrid smell to the air, like smoke but more so. “I follow you…” he whispers, shuts his own eyes and is gone too.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer- This was not betaed so any mistakes are fully mine.  
> I went with the version of history in which Galadriel was present at the Swanhaven but didn't actually do any of the killing herself so accessory to murder not murderess.  
> She says 'Alatariel' because that's the Telerin form of her name so it's really to let Celeborn know that contrary to all appearances, she is still in control of herself even if she has gone weirdly still.  
> 'This we choose to do' is borrowed from the great Sir Terry Pratchett. It just seemed too right to not use.  
> This is AU, so yes. I know it's canonically established that things couldn't work out like this but I had a challenge so I answered it- Sauron defeated by Finrod's little sister at the cost of herself, her husband, their realm and Elrond. I really feel like by their powers combined they shoulda been able to inflict some serious damage.


End file.
